Tag Archive | "Naples"

The Chicago Cubs have called Mesa, Arizona their “home away from home” during the Spring since 1979. But it looks like that could come to an end if the Ricketts Family decides to move the team’s spring training facilities from Arizona to Florida – and specifically Naples…

What the team is looking for – 120 contiguous acres; stadium with seating capacity of at least 15,000; 6 practice fields; sufficient parking; and a training complex that could be used 11 months out of the calendar year.

Arizona’s edge – the team is comfortable in Arizona having been there since the 1950’s. Their current home has been the team’s site since 1979. Mesa city leaders have indicated that they will do everything possible to keep the Cubs in Arizona. They have highlighted a large-scale development area near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport where Gaylord Entertainment Co. plans to builds a resort and conference center within the next few years. The Cubs new facility would be nearby that center. Travel times between Cactus League teams average just 30 minutes – travel time among the Grapefruit League teams in Florida is much longer with an average of 3 hours between sites.

Florida’s edge – it would be something new. Florida has proposed developing a “Wrigley Village” that will be a “destination spot” for Cubs fans all across the country. The Florida group has started a website called floridacubs.com but they said that they will not get into a bidding war with Mesa. Florida reps have indicated that Arizona has had to build 3 facilities for the Cubs in 50+ years and they now have to build another for the team. The site in Florida would be a state-of-the-art facility that would hold the Cubs operations for years to come.

The Chicago Cubs could be making a spring training move from Mesa, Arizona to Naples, Florida. Current Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney has acknowledged that the Cubs are pursuing opportunities to move the spring training facilities from Arizona to Florida. And right now, Naples is on the top of the Cubs list. The Cubs lease with the city of Mesa expires in 2016, but the club could leave early – in 2012 – if the Cubs pay $4.2 million to the city in Spring 2010. That deadline is coming up.

We’ll keep an eye on this if anything develops over the next 6 months or so. Florida would definitely be a closer destination for Chicago-area and east coast Cubs fans looking to catch a Cubs spring training game in warm winter weather…